Electric crane.



' Patented Aug., l, |899. .L F. TRACY.

ELECTRIC CRANE.

(Application med Apr. 22, 18.99.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

i @msm invern-o3,

No. 529,936. Patented Aug. l, |899.

.1. F. TRACY.

ELECTRIC CRANE.

(Application led Apr. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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' jUNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES r. TRACY, or rIrrsBURo, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoE or oNE-I-IALE rro WILLIAM II. MCEADDEN, or ALLEGIIENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 629,936, dated August 1-, 1899. Application tiled April 22, 1899 Serial No. 714,036. (No model.) I

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residing at `Pitts-v burg, inthe county of Allegheny and State of 5 Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new. and useful Improvements in Electric Cranes, ot' which'improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in contact-pieces for the trolleys of elect-ric cranes. As is weil known, the conductors for the currents for the motors on the trolley-car are arranged longitudinally of the bridge, and the current I5 is taken from such longitudinal wires by means of contact-pieces secured or connected in any suitable manner tothe trolley-car, as shown in Fig. l. These contact-pieces generally consist of metallic blocks having one face grooved for the reception of the conductors and provided with split sleeves, whereby the blocks are secured to a rod attached at its upper end to the car or trolley. By constant rubbing along these conductors these contact-blocks are rapidly Worn away and must be replaced. It frequently happens that the upper or oneof the intermediate contact-blocks is worn out before the lower ones, but it is necessary in the construct-ions heretofore used to remove the lower ones before a new one can be substituted for the worn one. This removal and renewal requires considerable time and labor, and the use of the crane is lost for all purposes during such renewals.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the renewal of anyone of the operative portionsof the contact-pieces Withcnt in any way interfering with any o f the' 4o other contact blocks or pieces or with the operation of the crane, excepting the particw.

usual arrangement of circuits and the manner of connecting the contact-pieces to the trolley-car- Fig. 2 :is aview, on an enlarged scale, of the supporting post or rod with my improved contact pieces secured therein. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one, form or construction of my improved contact-pieces, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are similar views of various modifications. y

In the practice of my invention ther supporting rod or arm l is secured at its upper end or in any other vsuitable manner to a trolley-car 2. On this bar or armare detachably securedt-he'various contact-pieces, the number being dependent upon the number of motors or translating mechanisms on the trolley-car. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the contact-pieces are insulated by a sleeve 3, of suitable insulating material, from the supporting-bar. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the contact piece or block 4, which is formed of suitable metal, has a recess 5 formed in its outer side for the reception of the metal Wheel4 6. This metal wheel is loosely mounted upon a pin 7, having oneA Itis preferred that the end pieces ception of the conductors l1, thereby aftording contact area in addition to thatpresented by the Wheel 6. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the grooved Wheel 6 is made of such a diameter that the conductor will he normally supported above the abutments or end pieces 9, which Would onlyY come into operation in case of lsuch a Wearing down vot' the Wheel as would render the-latter inoperative for carrying oi the current or the breaking of the pivotal support and the consequent dropping out of the wheel. This block 4 is secured to the supporting bar or arm by means of a split sleeve 12, formed on or secured to the rear side of the block4 and provided with project- IOO ing lugs 13, through which passes thc clamping-bolt 14, whereby the sleeve is tightly drawn around the bar l. This tighteningbolt also serves as a means whereby the current can be conducted to the motor, the wire for such current being wrapped around the bolt before it is tightened up.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the bridge-piece 8a is formed integral with the block 4, and the pivotal pin 9n is removable from the bridge. The pin 9 can be held in position by means of threads formed thereon and engaging similar threads in the bridge piece or block.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the pivot-pin 9h is held in position by a cotter or pi-n 15', passing through a boss on the bridgepiece andthe pin 9b.

As shown in Fig. 6, one or both ends of the block 4 may be slotted, forming forks 17, between which wheels 6 are arranged, being loosely mountedon pins 9C, passing through the forks.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that in any of the constructions shown the contact piece or wheel can be easily and quickly removed and a new one substituted therefor without interfering with any of the parts of the trolley mechanism.

The provision of a grooved block or porti-on thereof adjacent to the contact-wheel is an essentiall and desirable feature in the practical use of my improvement, as such grooved portions form auxiliary contact-surfaces, rendering it possible to operate the crane even after the contact-wheel has been broken or worn' down. By the use of such auxiliary contact- I claim hereinas my inventionl. The combination'of a clamping-sleeve, 45

a recessed block carried by the sleeve and a contact-wheel removably mounted in said recess, the block being provided with an additional or supplemental contact-surface arranged at an angle to the axis of the contact- 5o wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. A contact for electric cranes having in 3. A contact for electric cranes having in 6o combination a slotted block provided with means for attachment to a suitable. support and having a supplemental contact-surface adjacent to the slot, a grooved contact-wheel and a removable pivot for said wheel, sub- 65 stantially as set forth.

4. A contact for electric cranes having in combination a block provided with a recess in one side, a detachable bridge-piece extending across the recess, a contact-wheel arranged in 7o the recess and a pivot for said wheel secured to the brid ge-piece, substantially as set forth.

5. In a crane the combination of a trolley,

a standard carried by the trolley, a series of two or more Contact -pieces carried by the 75 standard, each of the contact-pieces being removable independent of the other pieces, and supplemental contacts adjacent to the main contact-pieces, substantial-ly as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 8o my hand.

JAMES F. TRACY.

Witnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLooTT,` F. E. GAITHER. 

